Bracket for knock-down shelving



y 18, 1957 w. BRUYNZEEL 3,331,514

BRACKET FOR KNOCK-DOWN SHELVING Filed March 22, 1965 I N VE NTOR BY WMpeP -mg fiff'ot gys United States Patent 3,331,514 BRACKET FOR KNOCK-DOWN SHELVING Wouter Bruynzeel, Arendshoek, Oud Saenden, Zaandam, Netherlands Filed Mar. 22, 1965, Ser. No. 441,555 Claims priority, application Netherlands, Mar. 31, 1964, 6,403,387 8 Claims. (Cl. 211-148) This invention relates to a detachable rack consisting of posts and supporting elements disposed therein for the support of shelves.

In said rack known for example from the Netherlands patent specification 74,309 the Supporting elements are incorporated in superposed grooves disposed in spaced relation to one another in a post, said grooves being open on one side of said post and ending at some distance from the opposite side of said post, said supporting elements extending outside said grooves on both sides in the longitudinal direction of said shelves supported by said supporting elements. In the known construction said shelves are secured against sliding in at least one direction with respect to said supporting elements in that the extending portions of said supporting elements are bent U-shapedly so forming a channel with which flanges of angle-profiles fixed to said shelves engage. This would allow sliding of said shelves in a direction perpendicular to a longitudinal direction, however said shelves are completely fixed in that angles are taken from said shelves to form recesses in which portions of said posts are rested.

The object of the invention is to provide a different construction having many advantages as should appear from the following.

According to the invention substantially horizontal supporting planes extend from said supporting elements on either side of said posts, on which portions said shelves rest, said supporting elements being secured against lateral sliding with respect to said post, whereas said shelves and said supporting elements through the cooperation of apertures and protruding portions extending therein are directly fixed relative to one another.

In the construction according to the invention said angle profiles are abolished. This saves much material and work for fixing them to said shelves. The latter can be stored and transported in detached position in smaller volumes, the risk of the shelves being damaged by angle profiles in piling them up being eliminated.

In the new construction no extending portions of said U-shaped bends or angle profiles are underneath said shelves, so that the space between two adjacent shelves can be more completely used.

In the construction according to the invention the posts can consist of wood as well as of other material, e.g. metal, in which latter case a metal protile is preferably applied. If it is a U-profile, the grooves for receiving said I supporting elements in such case can be disposed in both parallel flanges whereas in massive, such as wooden posts they can be milled sideways to the desired depth. The invention can be practiced in many ways as should appear from the explanation of some of the embodiments reproduced in the drawings.

In the drawings FIG. 1 shows schematically a top view of a portion of a rack according to the invention.

FIG. 2 a section along the line IIII of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 up to and including 7 perspective various em- Patented July 18, 1967 "ice bodiments of the supporting element to be applied in a rack according to the invention.

FIG. 8 a side view of a portion of a according to the invention.

In the drawing a post is reproduced by 1, serving for the construction of a rack according to the invention. In practice two posts 1 are always disposed in one single plane, said posts being interconnected e.g. by means of a clamp or the like whereas one side of a shelf can be supported between them. In each post grooves 2 are provided, in preferably evenly spaced relations to one another, said grooves serving for receiving supporting elements still to be discussed. In mounted position the sides of a post 1, provided with grooves 2, can be turned towards one another. However, it is also possible to employ the posts such that the sides provided with grooves 2 are turned away from one another.

The supporting element to be applied is introduced in a groove 2 at the desired height, said element being so designed that substantially flat portions 3 and 4 extend from both sides of said post. Said flat portions 3 and 4 serve for supporting a shelf on both sides of said post. A shelf can exist of a flat sheet of wood, metal, synthetic or other material. A cheap efiicient construction is obtained when a shelf consists of a frame 6 of cheap wood which frame 6 on at least one side is covered with a sheet 7, e.g. of board. Such a composed shelf is cheap and can be easily transported and fixed. For fixing the shelves with respect to the supporting element, said supporting element is provided with extending portions 8 and 9 which can cooperate with bores 10, respectively 11 in said shelves. As appears from FIG. 1 portions are cut from the corners of shelves 5, respectively 7, such that in mounted position the shelves abut as indicated at 12. So in mounted position a stable construction is achieved. For fixing said shelves 5, 7 with respect to said supporting element also loose pins could be used being introduced into bores 10 and 11, said pins then having a flat head at their tops.

Bores may be provided then in the flat portions 3 and 4 of said supporting element for receiving a portion of said pins. Eventually such pins could be also firmly connected to the shelves.

In the drawing the bores 10 and 11 are reproduced as continuous ones. In applying such continuous bores a shelf can also be applied in reversed position which may be advantageous when both sides of a shelf are suited as supporting planes in the rack. When for example one side is damaged or soiled, the other side of the shelf can be used after turning it over. When one side of a shelf forms no closed plane or the shelf for other reasons is not suited to be used in two positions, the bores 10 and 11 need not be continuous and the side of the shelf serving as supporting plane is fully closed.

FIG. 3 gives a perspective view of a supporting element used in the construction according to FIGS. 1 and 2. Now for fixing said supporting element with respect to post I such that it cannot move in lateral direction, notches 14 and 15 are provided from the longitudinal edges in the centre-portion 13 introduced into groove 2. Said notches have somewhat greater breadth than of post 1. So in mounted position the centre-portion 13 integrally rests in groove 2, the fiat portions 3 and 4 of the supporting element extending along the post 1. One single notch 14 or 15 could suflice, however from considerations of symmetry applying both notches 14'or 15 should be recompost for a rack mended. In such case it is of no importance in which way the supporting element is introduced into groove 2.

Another possibility is reproduced in FIG. 4. Here also the supporting element is notched along a breadth equalling the breadth of post 1. The not removed portions are squarely bent to form upright portions 16 and 17. In mounted position the latter come on both sides of post 1 and so secure the supporting element against sliding in transverse direction. The shelves come to rest on the flat portions 18 and 19 whereas the centre-portion 20 in mounted position lies inside groove 2. Each of the shelves has a groove-shaped aperture then instead of a bore 10, respectively 11, said aperture being in line with the upright portions 16 and 17 of the supporting element. For also fixing the shelves with respect to the supporting element in the longitudinal direction of the shelves pins or the like could be used which in turn are in line with bores in the shelves. Eventually the upright portions 16, respectively 17 could be interrupted as indicated at 21 in which case portion 16 serves for securing the supporting element with respect to post 1, the formed journal 22 to rest in a bore of the shelf in order to secure said shelf in longitudinal direction with respect to the supporting element.

FIG. 5 gives a perspective view of the supporting element which just like the supporting element according to FIG. 4 can be made of an initially fiat metal strip which can be stamped in a press. In said construction both longitudinal edges are notched at 23 and 24 along a breadth equally the breadth of post 1. Hereby also the transverse edges are notched, the portions between the notches being squarely bent for forming upright portions 25 and 26 which can extend into bores of the shelves.

Also the supporting element according to FIG. 6 initially is a flat plate strip. The centre portion 27 of said plate strip is introduced into a sloping groove 28 in post 1 (FIG. 8). The flat side portions 29 and 39 of said supporting element are bent in the horizontal plane so, after being mounted on both sides of post 1, forming fiat, substantially horizontal supporting elements for the shelves. Said planes 29 and 30 may be provided then with pins or the like as earlier described for securing the shelves with respect to the supporting elements. In FIG. 8 an embodiment with a groove 28, sloping with respect to the horizontal plane, is shown, said groove 23 cooperating with the discussed supporting element as per FIG. 6.

Itis not essential for the groove to take a sloping position. As shown in FIG. 2 the groove can also be positioned in an in itself known way perpendicularly to the longitudinal direction of the post, whereby a supporting element is used then as reproduced in the figures other than FIG. 6.

FIG. 7 shows a perspective view of an embodiment of a supporting element also made from an initially fiat strip. Said strip is substantially U-shapedly bent whereby the centreportion of back 31 is introduced into a groove of 2 of the post 1. The upright portions 32 and 33 of the supporting element will abut both sides of the post 1 then. Said bent portions 32 and 33 are again outwardly bent so forming fiat substantially horizontal supporting elements 34 and 35 for the shelves. Pins or similar protusions may then be applied to said fiat supporting elements 34 and 35, said pins or similar :protusions serving .for securing said shelves with respect to said supporting a relatively restricted space and easily transported. Protruding portions liable to causing damage are not present in the shelves.

Also the supporting elements are cheap and can be generally made of flat material which can be stamped or element with a bent edge passing around the circumference with the exception of the portion received in the groove, a reinforcement against deflection is obtained.

The main shape of the supporting element need not be rectangular as drawn but the angles may also be rounded ofi. When a bent edge is provided same will follow the rounded off angles. Said edge may be directed downwards or upright. In the latter case the edge extending over the circumference of the portion of the supporting element serving as supporting plane yet is of sufiicient size to adequately support a shelf at the point in question. Such a curved edge portion then has essentially the same function as an exactly fiat portion of a plane.

I claim: a

1. A detachable rack comprising posts, shelves, and supporting elements for said shelves, said posts having superposed slots disposed in spaced relation to one another, said slots being open on one side of said posts and ending at some distance from the opposite side of said posts, said supporting elements being positioned in said slots and having extending portions outside said slots on both sides of said posts in the longitudinal direction of said shelves, said shelves being secured against sliding in at least one direction with respect to said supporting elements, said extending portions being substantially horizontal supporting planes extending on either side of said posts on which said shelves rest, and means fixing said'shelves and said supporting elements directly relative to one another by the cooperation of apertures and protruding portions extending therein whereby said supporting elements are secured against lateral sliding with respect to said posts.

2. A rack according to claim 1 wherein said supporting element is a substantially fiat piece of plate from a longitudinal edge of which a portion of slightly greater breadth than the thickness of said post is removed.

3. A rack according to claim 2 wherein from both longitudinal edges of said plate a portion of slightly greater breadth than the thickness of said post is removed.

4. A rack according to claim 3 wherein the remaining unremoved portions of a longitudinal edge are bent squarely to the plane of said supporting element and each bent portion extends in a corresponding slot of a shelf on both sides of said post.

5. A rack according to claim 1 wherein said supporting element is notched at the transverse sides, the portions between the notches being bent squarely to the plane of said supporting element to form a protruding portion on both sides of said supporting element, which protruding portion can extend into a corresponding aperture of said shelf.

6. A rack according to claim 1 wherein the portions of said supporting element extending on both sides outside said slots are squarely bent and abut said post and said portions are once more squarely bent outwards to form horizontal supporting planes for said shelves.

7. A rack according to claim 1 wherein said posts in the sides facing one another are provided with slots disposed in spaced relation to one another for receiving said supporting elements.

8. A rack according to claim 1 wherein said slots slope downwardly and said portions of said supporting element extending on both sides outside said slots are bent into horizontal planes.

(References on ioiiowing page) 5 6 References Cited FOREIGN PATENTS UN T T T P EN 1,114,291 9/1961 Germany.

I ED S A ES AT TS 74,775 5/ 1954 Holland. 1,055,505 3/1913 Knape 248-243 136,338 7/1952 Sweden. 1,037,301 2/1914 Kobert 243 247 X 5 179,773 6/1962 Sweden- 1,882,980 10/1932 Schrader 248250 2,995,257 8/1961 DAnka 211'1 3 W, D. LOULAN, Assistant Examiner.

CLAUDE A. LE ROY, Primary Examiner. 

1. A DETACHABLE RACK COMPRISING POSTS, SHELVES, AND SUPPORTING ELEMENTS FOR SAID SHELVES, SAID POSTS HAVING SUPERPOSED SLOTS DISPOSED IN SPACED RELATION TO ONE ANOTHER, SAID SLOTS BEING OPEN ON ONE SIDE OF SAID POSTS AND ENDING AT SOME DISTANCE FROM THE OPPOSITE SIDE FOR SAID POSTS, SAID SUPPORTING ELEMNTS BEING POSITIONED IN SAID SLOTS AND HAVING EXTENDING PORTIONS OUTSIDE SAID SLOTS ON BOTH SIDES OF SAID POSTS IN THE LONGITUDINAL DIRECTION OF SAID SHELVES, SAID SHELVES BEING SECURED AGAINST SLIDING IN AT LEAST ONE DIRECTION WITH RESPECT TO SAID SUPPORTING ELEMENTS, SAID EXTENDING PORTIONS BEING SUBSTAN- 